


The Demon Music of Aloshire

by Mikaela_Tayla



Category: Original Work
Genre: Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:07:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27353953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikaela_Tayla/pseuds/Mikaela_Tayla
Summary: In the town of Aloshire, there have been a string of disappearances, all accompanied by strange and creepy music in the dead of night. It is up to the players to put a stop to the disappearances before it is too late.





	1. Town

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a dramatization of a DnD one shot. I fell in love with the characters. I may continue to exist. Who knows? Also, this whole thing exists thanks to my friend and DM Ruby Ollis.

On one of the many trade routes of the many lands, there lies a town known as Aloshire. A small town, with a population so small you could list its residents on only a few papers if you wrote small enough. With a population so small that if someone were to go missing, they’d surely be noticed. And unfortunately, such was the case. Aloshire’s residents were simply being lost, with little to no hope of salvation. Except for one girl. One crimsoned haired girl.

“Scarlet! My, how you’re a sight for sore eyes,” called out a local shopkeep.

“Johnathan, it is quite lovely to see you again! How have you been keeping?” She beamed, elated to see a face from her childhood. She neared the shopkeep’s stand, crossing the dirt road, absent of people. This time of year was harvest season, and yet still, no one.

“I, well, to tell the truth, not well. My husband, my dear, precious Daniel, has gone missing,” Johnathan responded, any remaining joy at seeing Scarlet vanished. The shopkeep leaned into his stand, no longer looking Scarlet in her eyes. Tears forming.

“I’m so sorry, you have my condolences. But that’s why I’m here. That’s why I’m home, I’m going to track down every last missing person here. I just need to make a stop at Gramma Burgundy’s first.”

“Oh, honey,” Jonathan started, wiping his tears from his face, “haven’t you heard?

“Heard what?”

_________________________________

In the town center sat a lonely water fountain. Usually this part of town saw the most use, children playing, their parent’s hurrying from work to the shop or to home, tourists throwing coins in the fountain for luck, the elderly watching the birds from the fences, But not today. Today a lone child sat on the fountain, kickball to his side. A woman, short and vile, walked up to the boy.

“Hey kid! What’s your problem? The hell is going on here?” she beckoned. The boy’s gaze went up, however briefly, to meet her eyes, which sat below an avalanche of crisp white hair. A solemn look on his face, he responded:

“Koby isn’t here today.”

“Who the hell is Koby?” she questioned him.

“My best friend, we always meet here to play. I’m scared he got disappeared.”

“Disappeared? As in disappeared disappeared? As in the whole reason I came to this nowhere town?”

“Uh, I think? 

“Where did you see him last?”

“He was going home. His house is by the forest though. The old man at the hotel says that the forest is where everyone is going when they get disappeared.”

“Interesting, interesting…”

The boy was suddenly bright eyed, “are you gonna go find Koby, miss?”

“I’ll find his corpse.”

“What,” the child said. His moment of ease was quickly--and violently--torn from him.

“Your friend is definitely dead.”

The boy began crying, as any child who was just told their best friend was dead would. Burdened by the child’s emotion, the short woman made way to the hotel, where a man with answers resided.


	2. Inn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The heores converge at the Inn. What will happen next?

A gunslinger, who had gone to Aloshire with the sole purpose of finding these missing people, sat at the bar in the old Aloshire Inn. The only place in town which felt cramped, albeit there were only four people in the bar total. Two seats to her right, the gunslinger noticed a man in a full suit and a hat sitting in front of him on the bar. Accompanying that hat were several empty glasses. Much further down, to the well dressed man’s right, was a half orc. Big, menacing, but only eyeing the drink in front of them. To her left stood a man who was certainly shady looking. All black clothes, ghost pale skin, the whites of his eyes black.

The gunslinger ordered a drink from the bartender, and moved down a seat, to sit next to the man. She asked the man, “excuse me sir, but pray tell, would you be the mayor of this town?”

“‘Spose I might be. What kind of a mayor let’s his own people get taken in the night though?”

“Well shoot sir, that’s the reason I’m here. Name’s Liliruca, and I’m here to help you solace your problem.”

The mayor eyed the woman. Light brown hair, a coat thrown over a button up, and a revolver strapped to her hip.  _ She may not look it, but she just may be this town’s angel _ , he thought to himself.

“Ma’am, I don’t know how to thank you enough, with all the disappearances I just-”

“Enough talk of the disappearances,” the voice of the half orc boomed across the bar. Catching all’s attention. They stood and threw their mug at the mayor, who winced as it connected with his shoulder. The gunslinger immediately stood, weapon drawn, “Easy there…”

_________________________________

Scarlet stormed into the inn. Passing by a short woman, headed straight to the bar. She needed to speak to the mayor, though in her haste was still not incapable of ignoring the old man, Jenkins.

“Scarlet! Ya’ grown so darn much! Why I still ‘member when you was still yea high,” Jenkins motioned with his hand hovering maybe 5 inches off the ground. He’s old. Scarlet let it past.

“It has been quite a while Mister Jenkins, but I’m afraid I don’t have much time to talk. You see, Grandma Burgundy has,” Scarlet choked on her words, “She’s missing. I have to find her.”

“Well shoot, I know where she went.”

“You do?!”

“Course I do! The music gotter!” Upon hearing this Scarlet paused. Seeing her confusion, Jenkins went on, “The music been gettin’ erryone! Heck, almost got me! Got right to the trees ‘fore I got myself outta it. Was like a trance or somethin’ I reckon.”

“Where by the treeline? Well over yonder, in the northern eastern part of the city.”

“Jenkins, you may just be the only amount of hope I have, thank you-”

Just then a commotion from the bar. Scarlet readied her rifle and entered the bar, seeing a large half orc and a brunette gunslinger facing off.

“Now this is enough of that!” Scarlet shouted from behind the barrel. “No need for things to go so stupidly!”

The gunslinger eyed Scarlet, then eyed the half orc.

“I’ll settle if you settle,” Liliruca offered. The half orc nodded, Liliruca holstered her weapon. “Sorry about all that commotion, ma’am, just wanted to speak to the-”

“Mayor!” Scarlet interrupted, “I knew I’d find you here, just, not in such a-”

“Pathetic state,” the half orc interjected.

“Mind your tongue,” the gunslinger chimed in.”

“No no, they’re right. I am pathetic,” the mayor, finally recovering from the shock of the mug, “I can’t solve this town’s biggest issue. Scarlet, I’m sorry you have to come home to this mess. And I’m especially sorry about your grandmother.”

“Don’t be mayor, I’m gonna find her,” Scarlet, a face of determination. The mayor knew she would.

“Well now what a coincidence, this fine young lady here was just telling me something similar. Now I may be, a bit-”

“A lot,” the half orc commented.

“A BIT drunk… but I’m still lucid enough, I say that you two work together. Probably have a higher success rate too.”

“Is this all you people talk about,” the half orc was growing more and more impatient with the conversation.

“If you join us, we can solve this faster and you’ll stop hearing about it,” the brunette offered.

“I’m in.”

“I’m in too,” the voice of the shady man finally making himself known, “this town is boring me anyways.”

“Well now look at that, you’ve got yourself a team here, Scarlet,” the mayor smiled, for the first time in god knows how long, “now, I should be going. I need to sleep. And you all do too. Have a good night’s rest, you all.” With that the mayor stood up and left, with varying levels of goodbyes from this newly formed team. As he left, he passed by the short haired girl, who had her head peeking through the archway this whole time.

“I’m glad he’s looking better,” the bartender said, “He’s been coming in every night and drinking and drinking and drinking. But as for you all, for promising to help our little town, I say I treat you. All of you, free rooms at the inn tonight and dinner is on me.”

“With as little money as you’re seeing right now, I’d be more than willing to pay for my room-” Scarlet tried.

“Nonsense, Scarlet. There’s no way I could ask you for any money anyways. Now you all grab a table, I’ll serve up some late night dinner, huh?”

The bartender went to the kitchen to prepare the group a meal. As they all gathered around a large table, the white haired girl took a seat at the bar.

“Scarlet huh? I take it you’re a local?” asked the gunslinger.

“Born and raised here, I know this place and the surrounding woods like no other!”

“Then I’m glad to be of service. My name’s Liliruca. Traveling, well, let’s say peacekeeper.”

“I’m pleased to meet you. And what of you two?”

“Bun. My name is Bun,” the half orc grunted.

“Irx is my name,” the shady one yawned as he said it, “I hope dinner doesn’t take too long.”

“Well, I was hoping we could discuss strategy and plans of attack, so that way we can-” Scarlet tried to say.

“I have a strategy already,” Bun grunted yet again. They pulled out their hammer and laid it on the table. “This is my strategy.” Said with a completely straight face.

“Well that’s certainly a… direct approach. Anyways, I have a lead on where to start looking. In the northeast of the town, at the treeline. Apparently that’s…”

Scarlet could talk and talk and talk, but the white haired girl couldn’t help but listen. Her elf ears twitched under her hair, listening to every word. Not just to listen to the girl with blood red hair, but so that way she could follow them the next morning. Just then, the bartender exited the kitchen, plates on top of plates for the table of heroes. They thanked him and continued talking and swapping information.

The bartender approached the elf, “Sorry for that wait ma’am, what can i get for you?”

“Just bread,” she responded.

“Okay,” the bartender dragged the “o” a little long, “is that going to be all?”

“Did I ask for anything else?”

“I suppose not.” The bartender headed to the back just long enough to grab a small loaf of bread. “There you are.”

“How much does a room go for around here?” She asked.

“50 silver a night. And it’s gonna be another 2 for the bread.”

“And what floor is that room on?”

“The second floor?”

“Does it have a window?

“... Yes?”

“Wouldn’t you know it! I seemed to have lost my wallet. A pity to be sure. Anywho bye!”

The elf girl left the inn. As she left she cast a minor spell that instantly popped the bread from the bar to her hands. She circled the building, attempting to find that empty room.

_________________________________

After a hearty meal and a conversation that didn’t seem to be of much use, the party split and went to their lodgings for the night. All except for Bun, who had elected to sleep outside instead. Liliruca entered her room, and quietly closed her door. After locking it, she prepped for bed. Or at least attempted to. As Liliruca was removing her top to change into sleepwear, her window shot open, as a small wood elf girl climbed in, bread hanging from her mouth. Liliruca pulled her shirt down and grabbed her firearm from the bedside table, and aimed for the white haired intruder.

“You! I recommend you get out of here, unless you want a bullet in your lung,” Liliruca called out.

“See, I’d love to, but alas, it’s a two story drop and I wouldn’t appreciate broken legs,” the elf quipped.

“And I don’t appreciate being spied on.”

“If it makes you feel better, I didn’t think anyone was gonna be in this room. In fact the reason I’m in here at all is by mistake. Now can I enter? I’m kinda hanging halfway out of this window.”

Liliruca holstered her weapon and pulled the elf girl inside by the arm, “You shouldn’t be here.”

“Well I don’t have money to pay for a room here. I have an idea, how about you let me do my meditation thing in here and I won’t have to pay for nothing!” the elf proposed. Liliruca’s only response was to walk to the door of the room and open it.

“Leave,” Liliruca commanded.

“Fine,” the elf girl took one step out before adding, “but I don’t appreciate you throwing out a pretty girl like me onto the streets of a town where people have gone missing.”

“Ugh,” Liliruca groaned, “fine you can stay here. But only if you help me look for the missing people!”

“Well, I was already planning on finding the dead people, so I’m in!”

“Whatever. Just, sleep on the other bed, or meditate, or whatever. And don’t tell anyone this happened.”

“I don’t plan on it. By the way, Name’s Joushe.”

“Liliruca.”


	3. Forest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The quest begins. Chaos ensues.

That next morning, Joushe was the first to awake. Much to everyone’s dismay.

“Lili Lili Lili Lili Lili Lili-” Joushe said as fast as she could.

“What?! What? I’m awake-”

“Are you awake? C’mon let’s go, let’s go find some bodies! C’mon c’mon c’mon!” Joushe rocketed out the door and down the stairs of the inn, Bumping straight into Irx as he descended the stairs.

“Hey, could you watch where you’re going?” Irx asked. He was barely affected, but this tiny elf girl had fallen on her butt due to the collision.

“Um? No?” She stood and launched down the stairs yet again. Irx was already tired of today. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, the bartender greeted him.

“Morning sir! Anything I can do for you today?”

“Do you have anything that can wake me up?”

“We have coffee.”

“That could work. Could you put like, three cups of sugar in there?”

“I’m sorry how much sugar?”

“Just think about the amount that would make you sick. That might be enough.”

“Oh, um yes sir.”

As the bartender left to prepare Irx’s drink, Liliruca entered.

“Jeez, what happened to you?” Irx asked, referring to the prominent bags under Liliruca’s eyes. She only responded by motioning to Joushe, who was bouncing on the balls of her feet until she caught Liliruca’s eyes.

“Lili Lili Lili Lili Lili! Where’s your red friend, where is she? And the big guy too?” Joushe asked, “We need them so we can go!”

“One coffee with an unhealthy amount of sugar,” The bartender called.

“Bartender! Where is the red one!” Joushe questioned the poor man

“When did you get in here?”

“Doesn’t matter! What room in the red one in!”

“She’s in room 256-”

“Got it! She’ll be down in 15 seconds!” Joushe immediately booked it up the stairs. Irx, timing Joushe on his fingers grabbed his coffee.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna need one of those too,” Liliruca called out to the bartender. Liliruca and Irx heard pounding on a door upstairs, immediately followed by the sound of running, which was then followed by the sound of someone falling down stairs. As that was happening, the Mayor, now sober, and Bun had entered the inn.

“Still waiting on Scarlet,” the mayor asked.

“Yeah, we were told she’d be down in 15 seconds, but that was like 20 seconds ago,” Irx responded. All eyes went to Joushe, dusting herself off from her fall down the stairs. Not even 5 minutes later, Scarlet stormed down the stairs, loudly. As she got to the bottom steps she even more loudly demanded to know who had banged on her door and woken her up.

“Who banged on my door and woke me up?”

“The big one did,” Joushe responded, maybe a little too fast.

“Now listen here you little-”

“And here’s breakfast!” the bartender announced, setting many plates on the table the party had sat at last night.

“Not enough bacon,” Bun proclaimed, “Get me more. All that you have.”

They all took their seats, Scarlet, then Bun, then Liliruca, them Joushe, then Irx, then the Mayor. Primarily, Liliruca introduced the party to Joushe, the party explained their point of entrance to the mayor, and elaborated on what they were capable of.

“Well I’m a rifleman,” said Scarlet

“Big hammer. Also a boomerang,” said Bun.

“I use a revolver,” said Liliruca.

“I use magic and I use a stick,” said Joushe.

“I use eldritch blast,” said Irx.

“Okay! Now that boring intro stuff is done, can we go now?” Joushe was tired of the sitting and waiting.

“As much as I don’t want to, I have to agree with her, It is getting boring here,” Irx chimed in.

“Alright team, let’s head out!” Scarlet announced, standing from her seat.

The party said their goodbyes to the Mayor, the bartender, and to Jenkins as they left the inn.

_________________________________

Upon reaching the treeline, the party saw fog settling along the floor of the forest. Mostly hidden by the fog, footprints in the mud. More people were missing.

“Lili Lili Lili Lili Lili!”

“Yes Joushe, I see them too.”

The party entered the forest and before long were deep within it. Surrounded by nothing but trees and exponentially thicker fog. There was no sign of civilization, the village completely out of view.

“The footprints keep leading this way,” Liliruca called out to her companions.

As they continued walking, suddenly, Scarlet was caught in something.

“Ah! I can’t move! Is… is this web? Am I stuck in spiderwebs?!” Scarlet cried out.

“Oh no,” Bun said.

Irx heard scuttling from behind him, narrowly leaping out of the way as a giant spider tore through the fog. Simultaneously, a large hoard of smaller spiders, hundreds or thousands in numbers, began swarming Scarlet. She was only able to fire a single shot into the trees before they swarmed her. The giant spider lunged at Irx.

“Eldritch blast!” He shouted. Purple static formed from his hand and shot out like a beam, a bolt, straight into the spider, but it didn’t back down. It lunged again, fangs bared, only for Irx to catch one in each hand, holding the monsters maw open. Liliruca fired a few shots into the back of the beast, but still, it did not falter, knocking Irx onto the ground and pinning him. Irx struggled to hold the fangs away from his face. Bun swung his hammer at the horde of spiders swarming Scarlet, and though he killed many, there were many many more. Just as the spiders began to fully cover Scarlet, Joushe teleported into the mass, grabbed Scarlet, and teleported them both away from them. Scarlet took the opportunity to fire a round straight into one of the giant spider’s eyes. Following this, Liliruca did the same. The beast loosened its grip just enough for Irx to let go of one of the fangs.

“Eldritch blast!!!” He called out again. Irx sent the attack straight into the spider’s mouth, which tore through its back. Pushing the giant thing off of himself, Irx saw that the spider horde had begun attacking Bun.

“Hey Bun! What’s your opinion on fire?”

“Yes!” They pleaded, desperately.

“Hellish Rebuke!” Cast Irx, setting every spider on and around Bun ablaze. Luckily, Bun was unfazed. “You’re not mad that I set you on fire, right?’ Irx asked Bun after the fight.

“You know what? Thanks,” the half orc expressed their gratitude.

“He Red! Red Red Red Red! Did you see how I teleported you out of there! Was that cool or what?” Joushe asked, as quickly as ever.

“Yeah okay. I guess that makes up for you waking me up this morning,” Scarlet replied, albeit a little warily to this new nickname.

“Yes!” Joushe, celebrated.

“But this doesn’t mean we’re friends.”

“Damn. Hey Lili hey Lili hey Lili!” Joushe bounced. Liliruca did not respond. Liliruca hid behind Bun.

The quest continued on. Just like before, the fog became thicker and thicker. It was at the point the party couldn’t see the trees in front of them. But what they lacked in what they saw, they made up for in what they heard. Whispering. Whispering all around them. In elvish. Joushe and Scarlet were able to hear, “Who are they?” “What are they doing here?” “These are our lands.”

Three figures appeared before the party. Dryads. They launched into assault mode, to which Joushe shouted “Fuck you” and attempted to use poison spray. It didn’t work, so she instead bashed the closest one on the head with her stick. Bun threw his boomerang but missed, as the dryads began to dodge and evade. Every shot a miss, every swing a whiff. Irx landed an eldritch blast on one, Scarlet got a hit on another, liliruca got two hits off on the same one. The dryads disappeared into the trees, only coming into vision to strike. It was when the first one attempted to get Joushe that she landed poison spray and kicked him in dick and balls, killing him on the spot. This made the others more erratic. They began moving more panicked, like they weren’t expecting to lose. Bun swung his hammer and by chance clipped one, stunning the dryad just long enough for Liliruca and Scarlet to shoot him in the head and heart respectively. The last one went berserk and launched itself at the party, to which they responded with poison, a boomerang, two bullets, and an eldritch blast. He died.


	4. Mansion

The group rested for a second, Joushe offering the party bread that she had apparently stockpiled. After a very brief rest, they continued. Oddly enough though, the fog began to thin. The farther along they got, the clearer they could see. And once the fog was almost completely gone is when they saw it. The mansion. A giant manor in the woods.

“Finally, a real break! We can break in, steal some real food, take a nap, maybe bathe, and be on our merry way,” Joushe proposed.

“For once I wanna hear what she says,” Scarlet agreed. Joushe rushes her way to the doors when they open by themselves.

“Finally, some recognition!”

“There’s that elf cockiness,” Irx commented. Bun grunted in agreement. The part enters the house and the doors slam on their own.

“Convenient!” Said Joushe. No one agreed with her. The manor was dark, the party could still make out the entrance room. It was large, with stairs on either side leading to a second story with a grand chandelier hanging over it. Then all at once, the chandelier’s candles--and every other candle for that matter--flicked on, illuminating the room. Standing at the top of the stairs was an oddly familiar face. A long forgotten celebrity, a bard who no longer was popular. A high elf bard.

“Oh god, I hate high elves,” Joushe muttered.

“Hold on, is that?” Liliruca turned to Scarlet, “there’s no way.”

“Eilrel Ariessus,” Scarlet finished Liliruca’s thought.

“And here I thought elves couldn’t get bigger egos,” Irx’s voice was uninterested.

“I have to say, that little galavant through the woods was certainly entertaining,” Eilrel began, “I especially like the bit with the spiders. That was quite good. However, now I-”

“Yeah yeah yeah, whatever. Listen Mr. Bad Guy or whatever, where are the bodies?” Joushe had already grown bored of the Eilrel’s monologue.

“Foolish girl. There are no bodies here, there are no dead,” as Eilrel said this, Scarlet’s eyes beamed, she could save everyone.

“Where’s my grandmother, Ariessus, and what use does a jaded bard have for civilians,” Scarlet questioned the elf man.

“Well, to put it simply, I’m bored. I grew wary of living here, alone, so I decided to have a few friends over. And by friends, of course, I mean your grandmother. And the other citizens who have heard my beautiful song. I charmed them, brought them here, and have been using them for my amusement. Now for the moment I’ve been dreaming of,” Eilrel licked his lips in anticipation, “the part where the brave heroes fight the very people they swore to protect! My beautiful charmed entertainers! Attack!” Eilrel takes his seat on a throne on the second floor, placed perfectly so he could enjoy the show.

“Okay Red, I don’t usually have inhibitions about this, but for you I won’t kill any civilians,” Joushe called out

“Why do you keep trying to impress me?” Scarlet questioned.

“I will not hold back,” Bun clarified. No one asked. They just thought to add.

Charmed civilians flooded the room. Their numbers are manageable, for now. The party, save for Bun, are trying their hardest to avoid killing civilians. Irx is casting non lethal spells, Liliruca has switched to unarmed, Scarlet is using her rifle as a blunt object, and Joushe is carefully clonking the unknowing enemies on the head. Just as the party seems to have the upper hand, that the tide of battle is leaning in their favor, the fallen bard calls in reinforcements. But not just civilians.

“Oh Bun,” he calls from his throne atop the second floor, “Why not drop the silly act? Kill them.” Bun immediately turns and swings his hammer into Irx’s chest. Irx is thrown into the wall. Eilrel howled with laughter from his throne.

“You all should’ve kept better tabs on our big friend last night,” the high elf called down, “he was outside all alone, he was a prime target for my magics. But fear not! He won’t be the only familiar face you’ll, well, face!” The mad man cackled to himself.

On cue, within the ever growing crowd of civilian enemies, Scarlet saw Grandma Burgundy. Fueled by rage, she powered through the crowd to the stairs. She fired a shot at the Bard, which narrowly misses and strikes his throne. Joushe tried following, but the crowd blocked her path.

“I don’t feel so bad about setting you on fire anymore…” Irx stands, painfully, “Eldritch blast!” The purple bolt looks like it bounces off of Bun, who closes the gap between them. With a strong swing, he sends Irx right back into the wall again. Liliruca rushes to his side.

Scarlet and the Bard duel on the top floor, but the Bard is too strong, sending a magical attack that throws Scarlet halfway down the stairs. Joushe teleports to Scarlet’s side, but Scarlet is weakened and hurt bad.

“Let’s see…” Bun lost interest in Irx, who was now being nursed by Liliruca, and looked for a new target. “There was someone here who’s been on my nerves this whole time.” The crowd parted so that Bun could get through. Through to the stairs. Trapping his target between himself and the Eilrel. Bun grabbed Joushe by the hair and threw her down the stairs. He swung. The impact nearly kills her. Liliruca stood and ran for the stairs. Eilrel closed in on Scarlet.

“Do it pussy, I’m not afraid,” Joushe taunted Bun. 

Liliruca ran past Bun to the base of the stairs and took aim at the Bard’s forehead. 

Bun swung the final blow.

Liliruca fired the last shot. 

Bun killed Joushe.

The round imbedded itself into the Bard’s head.

Eilrel died.

The charmed civilians wake up from the charm.

Liliruca and Scarlet rushed to Joushe’s corpse. Irx hobbled his way over to them.

“Gimme a second,” Irx said. Irx casted necromantic magic, bringing Joushe back to life with a gasp.

“Hey guys,” she began.

“Yeah?” They asked.

“What the fuck.”


End file.
